Representatives from the district, C&S Engineers, and Turner Construction were at the April 11 PTO meeting to provide an update on the renovations at Huntington. You can view their presentation here.

Some items to note: 

• The pool is anticipated to open by May!
• We were told that the parking lot will be patched again over April break, but only as a temporary measure. The parking lot will be fully reconstructed over the summer - expect a much smoother ride in the fall!
• A lot of work is planned for this coming summer including classroom window replacements, main office and entry modifications, parking lot reconstruction, the new playground, and cafeteria renovations.

​Take a look at the presentation slides for some photos of the renovation in-progress and details on the schedule. We're all eagerly anticipating the final product! 

2018-2019 Yearbooks are on sale now!

​ORDERS ARE DUE TUESDAY, APRIL 30 and BOOKS MUST BE ORDERED IN ADVANCE. There will not be another opportunity to purchase a book this year. Cost is $20 per book. The front cover of the book can be personalized with the student's name printed on the bottom corner for an additional $2 per book. 

We strongly encourage you to order online at www.YearbookOrderCenter.com. It's fast, easy, and secure! Use order number 16647. You can also order via telephone with a credit card by calling 1.866.287.3096. 

You can also pay by check by printing and completing the order form. Checks should be made out to "Huntington School PTO." Please place orders in an envelope marked "yearbook" and give to your student's teacher. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CASH. 

Attention 8th grade parents: Please submit a baby photo for the yearbook! It's a fun tradition to guess the "baby panther" in the yearbook. Photos must be submitted by April 5. The easiest way to submit is through the yearbook photo share website. Be sure to indicate your student's name when you submit a photo! See more info here. 

Also, all students are encouraged to participate in the yearbook cover art contest! Submissions are due April 11. Forms are available in the Main Office. See more details here. 

Email us with any questions. ​

The bylaws specify the purpose of the organization, the duties of the Executive Board members, procedures for holding funds and accessing those funds, and other aspects of the PTO operations. 

The current Executive Board has drafted an update of the bylaws to address some outdated elements of the existing version and to add clarity to some procedures, especially concerning fund requests. A draft was brought to the October 2018 meeting, but the discussion was postponed until January to allow additional edits to be made. 

A draft of the proposed bylaws is now available. Any PTO member (including any parent/guardian of a Huntington student, as well as all teachers and administrators) may submit comments on the draft bylaws at the January 10 meeting or via email prior to the meeting at huntingtonschoolpto@gmail.com. A simple majority vote at the January 10 meeting is needed to approve the updated bylaws.  

Notable proposed changes and additions to the bylaws, by section, are listed below: 

Various sections throughout document

• References to website, email, and social media have been added as necessary and appropriate, most notably within the duties of the Secretary.
• Replaced “parent(s)” with “family(ies)” as appropriate.

Article V   Meetings

• Section 8: specifies that each member is entitled to one vote, no absentee/proxy votes.
• Section 9: defines a quorum for votes.

Article VI   Executive Board

• Section 1: defines the Executive Board as President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer.

Article VII   Election of Executive Board Officers

• Section 3.11: Defines a term for Executive Board officers as July 1 to June 30, with no term limits.

Article X   Finances

• New article that defines how funds are held by the PTO.
• Section 2.1: Specifies that each grade level shall have a single account, unless teachers in that grade request individual classroom accounts and this request is approved by the Executive Board.
• Section 3.2: Gives the Executive Board, in cooperation with the principal, the authority to review fund requests for grade-level account funds to ensure the requests support the purpose of the organization (as defined in Article II).
• Section 4: defines intended use of PTO-held funds
• Section 5: prohibits purchase of “smart” technology
• Section 6: stipulates that durable goods purchased with PTO funds are the property of the PTO
• Section 7: states that funds above $100 (from PTO-sponsored fundraisers only) that remain in grade-level accounts at the end of the fiscal year (June 30) will be moved to the general PTO account.
• Section 9: provides that if the organization dissolves, any remaining funds will be donated to SCSD Educational Foundation.

Article XI   Fund Request Procedures

• New article that documents the process for requesting funds (consistent with what is currently described on the fund request forms and on the PTO website).
• Section 2.1: requires that annual allocations of funds from the district be used before requesting any PTO-held funds for classroom supplies. 

Article XIV  Conflict of Interest Policy

• New article (not included in current bylaws)

The first PTO meeting of the 2018-2019 school year is scheduled for Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. One of the agenda items will be the approval of new bylaws for the organization. The draft bylaws are available for review here. 

The bylaws specify the purpose of the organization, the duties of the Executive Board members, procedures for holding funds and accessing those funds, and other aspects of the PTO operations. The current Executive Board has drafted an update of the bylaws to address some outdated elements of the existing version. Some of the notable proposed changes include: 

• Consolidation of the Corresponding Secretary and Recording Secretary positions on the Executive Board.
• Addition of electronic communications (website, email) to Secretary duties.
• Addition of language to encourage the use of class funds within the year that they are raised. 
• Consolidation of some aspects of the previous "procedures" guidance into the bylaws (such as the procedures for requesting funds from the General PTO account and the grade-level accounts). 

​Any PTO member (including any parent/guardian of a Huntington student, as well as all teachers and administrators) may submit comments on the draft bylaws at the October 11 meeting or via email prior to the meeting at huntingtonschoolpto@gmail.com. A simple majority vote at the October 11 meeting is needed to approve the updated bylaws. 

The first day of school will soon be upon us! All new and returning families should have received Mrs. Harlow's recent welcome letter. The letter contains many important details for the opening of the 2018-2019 school year.

Please note: 

• School for students in kindergarten through 8th grade begins on Thursday, September 6. 
• Pre-K students begin on Friday, September 7. 
• Free breakfast and lunch is available to all students. 
• Kindergarten orientation is September 5, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in the classrooms. 
• Pre-K orientation is September 6, at either 11:00 a.m. (Ms. Payne), 10:00 a.m. (Ms. Appleton), or 1:00 p.m. (Ms. Appleton), in the classrooms. 
• Open House for all families is Wednesday, September 12, with sessions at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (same information - pick the time that is convenient for you). 

Please review Mrs. Harlow's letter for details on the school's cell phone policy (all electronic devices must remain out of sight and turned off). 

Also, please note that due to the ongoing building renovations, there will be NO ENTRANCE INTO EITHER PARKING LOT FOR PARENTS (parking, pick-up, or drop-off) UNTIL AT LEAST NOVEMBER. The letter contains more details; please review and plan accordingly for drop-off and pick-up while the parking lots are closed. 

We hope you will consider attending a PTO meeting this year. Our first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria. PTO meetings are a great opportunity to meet other parents, staff members, and administrators and discuss your concerns and suggestions. We look forward to meeting you! 

UPDATE, 8/30/18: The letter from Superintendent Alicea describing the arrival and dismissal procedures that will be in place at the start of school can be found here. Until construction of the new bus loop is complete (anticipated in November), the doors on the west side of the building at the cafeteria will serve as the single point of entry for all students, parents, and other visitors. Please review the letter for more details. 

If you have been by school lately, you're certainly aware that the renovations have started! Safety fencing has been put up along Sunnycrest Road, the heavy equipment has moved in, and site work has begun in the front of the school. There are many elements to the renovation, and some of the work will continue throughout the school year and into the next summer. Please make sure to read this letter from Mrs. Harlow updating the community on the work being completed this summer, and see our previous posts for more information about what will be included in the renovations. The PTO Board members will work with the building administration to pass along timely and accurate updates throughout the renovation process. We all look forward to the improved facilities for our students that will result from this project! 

Our annual Gertrude Hawk Chocolates fundraiser is underway! Instructions, order forms, and brochures have been distributed to all students. Order forms and online orders that will be delivered to school are due Tuesday, February 27. See the flyer for full details. For online orders, you must set up a fundraiser account here. The Group Code for online orders is 708137. All sale proceeds will go directly to classrooms! Thank you in advance for your support! **Please note that we do not recommend selling door-to-door.**

We hope everyone had a great summer! The new school year is just around the corner. Students in grades K though 8 start on Wednesday, September 6, and pre-K students start on Thursday, September 7. 

For more information about the start of the upcoming school year, including changes in building staff and policies, please review Mrs. Harlow's welcome letter. 

We hope to see many Huntington families at the Orientation and Back-to-School Barbeque on Tuesday, September 5. Orientation sessions are scheduled for 5:00-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m., with the BBQ from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. You must attend an orientation session to get a ticket for the barbeque. 

Thank you to everyone who attended a meeting or event, participated in a fundraiser, or otherwise supported PTO this year!

A few items to note as we close out the year:
- Check out Mrs. Harlow's year-end letter highlighting the successes at Huntington this year and the goals for next year. 
- School supply lists for next year were distributed with report cards. 
- Mark your calendar for the Back-to-School Barbeque and Orientation on Tuesday, September 5! Orientation sessions are scheduled for 5:00-5:30 p.m. and 5:30-6:00 p.m., with the BBQ from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. You must attend an orientation session to get a ticket for the barbeque.
- School starts for grades K through 8 on Wednesday, September 6, 2017. 

​Have a great summer!